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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. degree — temperature
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. ball — a dance
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. stock — shares
  6. craft — boats
  7. stock — a soup base
  8. fine — all right
  9. lean — thin
  10. fine — high quality
  11. ball — a great time
  12. cue — a signal
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. degree — an amount
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. degree — from a university
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. lean — to bend
  19. stock — goods
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. cue — a hint
  22. craft — a skill
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. cue — for pool

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com